Lifeboat and davit manufacturer Schat-Harding has set a world record for lifeboat freefall drop by launching its new FF1200 offshore lifeboat from a drop height of 55 m. With an all up weight of 30 tons, the FF1200 was dropped into the sea from a 55 m test rig at Schat-Harding's Rosendal facility in west Norway. The boat surfaced with powerful positive headway and no internal or external damage. Schat-Harding CEO Ove Roessland says that the 55 m drop height was dictated by the height of the crane available for testing and that the lifeboat was designed to be released over even longer distances.